Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots has returned to the spotlight after Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike demanding accountability and reforms in India’s education and examination systems. The development has reignited discussions about whether Phunsukh Wangdu, popularly known as Rancho, was based on the engineer and education reformer. While many have long associated the character with Wangchuk, both he and Aamir Khan have clarified that the film’s protagonist is not directly based on him. Years ago, director Rajkummar Hirani had shared that Rancho’s real inspiration came from an extraordinary student he encountered at FTII.
Who is Aamir Khan’s Phunsukh Wangdu actually based on in 3 Idiots?
Although 3 Idiots is officially adapted from Chetan Bhagat’s novel Five Point Someone, the question of who inspired Aamir Khan’s Phunsukh Wangdu, popularly known as Rancho, has resurfaced following ‘s hunger strike.
Over the years, many have believed that the character was based on engineer and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk. However, Wangchuk has repeatedly clarified that while some aspects of the character may have been inspired by his life and work, Rancho is not directly based on him. Recently, Aamir Khan also stated that Phunsukh Wangdu is not based on Wangchuk.
Years earlier, 3 Idiots director Rajkummar Hirani addressed the speculation during a conversation with film trade analyst Komal Nahta. Hirani revealed that the real inspiration behind Rancho came from a student he met at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Recalling his time at the institute, Hirani said, “I often thought there were so many interesting stories here that should someday be shown in films.” He added that he found hostel life at FTII fascinating and that several real-life incidents eventually influenced the film.
Sonam Wangchuk and Aamir Khan
Explaining the inspiration behind Rancho, Hirani shared, “Aamir’s character was inspired by a student in our film school, whose name I can’t reveal. He wanted to become a filmmaker but couldn’t secure admission to FTII. At the same time, one of his friends got selected, but his father refused to let him join. So the student who didn’t get admission assumed his friend’s identity and studied filmmaking for three years.”
The filmmaker further revealed that the student’s identity remained a secret until the end of the course. “Nobody discovered the truth until graduation. When people told him he wouldn’t receive a certificate, he replied, ‘I never wanted one. I just wanted to learn filmmaking.’ That inspired me because education is not about certificates,” Hirani said.
According to Hirani, this remarkable story, along with several other experiences from his FTII days, helped shape the philosophy and personality of Rancho, one of Indian cinema’s most beloved characters.
3 Idiots
Aamir Khan on Sonam Wangchuk
recently clarified that his iconic 3 Idiots character, Rancho (Phunsukh Wangdu), was not based on Sonam Wangchuk. Speaking at the London Indian Film Festival, the actor said neither he nor writers Rajkummar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi knew Wangchuk while making the film, calling the long-standing belief a “misconception.” However, Aamir expressed concern over Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike and urged him to end his fast, while praising the activist’s contributions to education and innovation.